Flexible shaft with helical square end

ABSTRACT

A flexible shaft having at least one end formed to have a helical square shape, wherein successive cross-sections have square shapes progressively rotated with respect to each other. The overall rotation from where the square cross-section begins to the adjacent end of the shaft is preferably in the range of 10 to 20 degrees. The helical square end is preferably shaped by swaging utilizing helical square dies preferably made by electron discharge machining. When the helical square end of the flexible shaft is forced into a mating square opening of an end fitting, the helical square configuration of the shaft end causes it to be deformed and bind tightly in the fitting with an interference fit, thus reducing vibration and noise when the shaft is rotated. Instead of a helical square shape, the end of the flexible shaft may alternatively have another helical polygonal shape.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to an improved flexible shaft for transmitting torque.

[0002] A shaft used for transmitting torque, including a flexible shaft, frequently has square or other polygonal end parts, each end part being adapted to be received in a square or other polygonal cavity of a corresponding fitting. However, when such a shaft is rotated, play between the outside of the end part and the inside of the cavity fitting causes undesirable noise and vibration. In the case of a flexible shaft, the noise and vibration is accentuated due to flexing of the shaft as it is rotated.

[0003] Various arrangements have been proposed for coupling the shaft end part to the adjacent fitting cavity so as to reduce noise and vibration. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,304 to Eiche entitled Coupling For Mandrels Or The Like. However, such arrangements are relatively complicated and costly, and are not well suited to use with flexible shafts.

[0004] The assignee of the present application had believed that imparting a twist to the end of a flexible shaft would improve its noise and vibration characteristics. However, despite efforts by employees of the assignee and an independent consultant retained by the assignee, extending over a period of several years, prior to the invention described herein the efforts to produce such a shaft were not successful.

[0005] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a flexible shaft having an improved arrangement for coupling an end part of the shaft to a fitting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] As herein described, there is provided a flexible shaft having at least one end portion formed to have a helical non-circular shape. While any shape of noncircular cross-section may be used, a polygonal cross-sectional shape is preferred; a square cross-sectional shape being desirable, particularly in view of the large number of existing fittings having cavities of square cross-section.

[0007] When an end part of the helical noncircular end portion it of the shaft is inserted into the cavity of the fitting, the helical end portion rotates, resulting in an interference fit between the end part and the fitting. This interference fit tightly retains the end part of the shaft within the cavity, resulting in reduced noise and vibration when the shaft is rotated.

[0008] The helical noncircular end portion of the flexible shaft is preferably formed by swaging, utilizing a die set having the desired helical noncircular configuration.

IN THE DRAWING

[0009]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a flexible shaft according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

[0010]FIG. 2 is an enlarged front elevation view of part of the shaft shown in FIG. 1, including the left end portion thereof;

[0011]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the shaft shown in FIG. 2, taken along the cutting plane 3-3;

[0012]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the shaft shown in FIG. 2, taken along the cutting plane 4-5;

[0013]FIG. 5 is a left side view of the shaft shown in FIG. 2;

[0014]FIG. 6 is a front cross-sectional view of an assembly comprising a shaft fitting with the end part of the left end portion of the shaft shown in FIG. 2 disposed therein; and

[0015]FIG. 7 is a right side view of the assembly shown in FIG. 6, taken along the cutting plane 7-7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016]FIG. 1 shows a flexible shaft 10 which, except for the configuration of its end portions, is similar to prior art flexible shafts.

[0017] That is, the shaft 10 comprises a central or mandrel wire upon which one or more layers of wire are wound. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 571,869 to Stow; 1,905,197 to Webb; 1,952,301 to Webb; 2,142,497 to Clendenin; 2,401,100 to Pile; 2,875,597 to Neubauer; 3,274,846 to Forster; 4,112,708 to Fukuda; and 5,288,270 to Ishikawa.

[0018] The flexible shaft 10 has an outer wire layer 11 helically wound on the mandrel wire or the next inner layer of wire, a left end portion 12, and a right end portion 13.

[0019] As best seen in FIGS. 2 through 5, the left end portion 12 of the shaft 10 is formed to a helical square shape, and the individual turns 15 etc. of the layer 11 are correspondingly shaped. That is, while each individual cross-section of the shaft 10 in the portion 14 thereof is square, successive cross-sections are rotated in the same direction with respect to each other, so that the adjacent corners of those cross-sections describe four parallel helical paths.

[0020] While the direction of the helical paths may be either clockwise or counterclockwise as viewed from the left end 16 of the shaft 10, the direction of said paths should preferably be such that the interference which occurs when an end part of the portion 14 is forced into a fitting tends to tighten rather than loosen the turns 15 etc. of the outer winding 11. For the shaft 10 as shown in the drawing, this means that the helical paths should turn in a clockwise direction as viewed from the end 16, and in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the other end of the shaft.

[0021] The preferred pitch of the helical paths is dependent on the length of the end part 17 (FIG. 6) of the end portion 12 of the shaft which is to engage a corresponding square cavity, such as the cavity 18 of the fitting 19. For most applications, a helical angle α (FIG. 3) in the range of 10° to 20° will be suitable; said angle being 15° in the preferred embodiment.

[0022] As seen in FIG. 6, the fitting 19 has a rotatable shaft portion 20 and a body portion 21 having a cavity 18 therein of square cross-section very slightly larger than the square cross-section of the end part of the shaft 10, as measured at the cutting plane 3-3 shown in FIG. 2.

[0023] While a square cross-section is preferred, the end portion 12 may have another polygonal cross-section or any other noncircular cross-section—with the cavity 18 of the fitting 19 having a cross-section such as to accommodate the end part 17 of the flexible shaft.

[0024] Referring to FIG. 6, when the end part 17 is forced into the cavity 18 of the fitting 19, the helical configuration of the end part causes it to have a tendency to turn within the cavity. However, the engagement of the square cross-section of the end part with the square cross-section of the cavity prevents such turning, resulting in torsional compression of the end part and an interference fit between the end part and the cavity wall 14 which tightly engages the end part with the fitting. As a result, when the shaft and fitting rotate, with one driving the other, there is little or no relative movement between them, resulting in reduced noise and vibration compared to prior art flexible shaft and fitting arrangements.

[0025] The end portions 12 and 13 are preferably formed by swaging, utilizing a die set preferably comprising four dies (each for forming one of the four surfaces of the helical square configuration) installed in a swaging machine of standard design, such as the Finn Power P20, manufactured by Lillbacka Power Company, or an equivalent machine.

[0026] Each die is preferably made from tool steel by wire electron discharge machining, according to the following procedure:

[0027] 1. Design and build an accurate work holding device (clamping fixture) that will set and hold the die block forming surface at an angle perpendicular to the positioning base of a wire electronic discharge machine (“wire EDM”). A suitable wire EDM machine is the Sodick 320 AWT.

[0028] Instead of utilizing a wire EDM machine to shape the helical configuration in the die block forming surface, that configuration can be generated using a multi-axis controlled path abrasive grinder with interpolating axes, such as a Huffman HS 155R grinder.

[0029] 2. Determine the required helix angle of the die, corresponding to the desired rotation angle of the helical path of the shaft end portion from the beginning of the end portion of the shaft to the adjacent shaft end.

[0030] 3. Make a drawing showing the configuration of the die.

[0031] 4. Mount a tool steel blank in the work holding device and adjust or position the device so that the electrically charged wire of the wire EDM makes contact with the blank. Then determine the origin or starting points for the x, y and z axes of the wire EDM.

[0032] 5. Calculate the offset angles that are required for the x and y axes to interpolate in order to generate the required helical path.

[0033] 6. Enter the desired cutting parameters into the wire EDM controller. These parameters depend upon the material to be cut, the length and width of the material, the desired helical angle, the charged wire used by the machine to erode the blank, the speed and feed of the wire, and the desired surface finish of the die (which will determine the number of wire passes).

[0034] 7. Make the cut on one dies section using the aforementioned cutting parameters.

[0035] 8. Verify the die configuration by measuring the helical angle utilizing an optical profile projector and/or a toolmaker's microscope with digital readouts. If the die complies with the drawing, complete the same machining process on the remaining three dies of the die set, and test the dies on a flexible shaft in a swaging press to validate the process.

[0036] The same process may be used to manufacture a die set for providing a flexible shaft end portion with another polygonal configuration, in which case the die set preferably comprises as many dies as there are polygon sides, i.e. a separate die for each surface of the polygonal configuration.

[0037] The swaging process for forming the end portion 12 utilizing the aforementioned set of four dies, is as follows:

[0038] 1. Open the die block holder of a Finn Power P20 or equivalent swaging machine by rotating the retraction dial.

[0039] 2. Lubricate the die-retaining ring of the machine with n grease.

[0040] 3. Insert the four dies into the master ring, using the die insertion tool accompanying the machine.

[0041] 4. Retract the dies slowly by rotating the retraction dial and the swaging dial, leaving minimal clearance for the end portion of the flexible shaft to pass through the opening between the dies.

[0042] 5. Guide the flexible shaft into the space between the dies and adjust the amount of die retraction by rotating the swage control dial until the desired square configuration is formed.

[0043] 6. Adjust the flash cutter of the swaging machine to cut the formed shaft to the proper length.

[0044] 7. Set the proper gap spacing of the flash cutter electrode and align the electrode for the desired crimp position.

[0045] 8. Set the arc, power, heat, firing delay, and stretch delay dials of the swaging machine to the required parameters for cutting the formed shaft to length.

[0046] 9. Verify the following features of the formed end portion of the flexible shaft and make any necessary adjustments to obtain the desired configuration: size of helical square across corners and flats; helical angle; total shaft length.

[0047] 10. Deburr the formed flexible shaft. 

We claim:
 1. A flexible shaft comprising at least one layer of wire wound on another wire or wires, said shaft having at least one end portion with a helical square configuration.
 2. The flexible shaft according to claim 1, wherein successive cross-sections of said end portion have square shapes of substantially identical cross-section progressively rotated with respect to each other.
 3. The flexible shaft according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the angle of rotation from where the square cross-section begins to the adjacent end of the shaft is in the range of 10 to 20 degrees.
 4. A process for manufacturing a flexible shaft having a helical square configuration, comprising the steps of: providing a flexible shaft comprising at least one layer of wire wound on another wire or wires; and forming at least one end portion of said shaft to a helical square configuration.
 5. The process according to claim 4, wherein said at least one end portion is formed by swaging.
 6. The process according to claim 5, wherein said swaging step is carried out utilizing a die set having a helical square configuration, said set comprising four dies, each die being adapted to form one side of said configuration.
 7. A process for manufacturing a helical square flexible shaft, comprising the steps of: winding at least one layer of wire on another wire or wires to form a flexible shaft; providing a set of four dies having a helical square configuration; and swaging at least one end portion of said flexible shaft to form said end portion to a helical square shape, utilizing said set of dies, each die forming one side of said configuration.
 8. The process according to claim 6 or 7, wherein said dies are manufactured by electron discharge machining.
 9. The process according to claim 4, 5, 6, or 7, comprising the additional step of forcing said formed end portion into a cavity of a fitting having a corresponding square cross-section.
 10. A flexible shaft comprising at least two contiguous layers of wire wound on a mandrel wire, at least one end portion of said shaft having a helical square configuration.
 11. The flexible shaft according to claim 10, wherein said shaft has two end portions each having a helical square configuration.
 12. The flexible shaft according to claim 10 wherein the end of said shaft adjacent said end portion is rotated by an angle in the range of 10 to 20 degrees with respect to the part of said shaft where said end portion begins.
 13. A flexible shaft having at least one end portion formed to have a helical polygonal shape.
 14. The flexible shaft according to claim 13, wherein successive cross-sections of said end portion have polygonal shapes progressively rotated with respect to each other.
 15. The flexible shaft according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the angle of rotation from where the polygonal cross-section begins to the adjacent end of the shaft is in the range of 10 to 20 degrees.
 16. A flexible shaft having at least one end portion formed to have a helical noncircular shape.
 17. The flexible shaft according to claim 16, wherein successive cross-sections of said end portion have noncircular shapes progressively rotated with respect to each other.
 18. The flexible shaft according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the angle of rotation from where the noncircular cross-section begins to the adjacent end of the shaft is in the range of 10 to 20 degrees.
 19. A process for manufacturing a helical noncircular flexible shaft, comprising the steps of: winding at least one layer of wire on another wire or wires to form a flexible shaft; and forming at least one end portion of said shaft to a helical noncircular shape.
 20. The process according to claim 19, wherein said at least one end portion is formed by swaging.
 21. The process according to claim 20, wherein said swaging step is carried out utilizing dies having a helical noncircular configuration.
 22. A process for manufacturing a flexible shaft having a helical noncircular end portion, comprising the steps of: winding at least one layer of wire on another wire or wires to form a flexible shaft; providing a set of dies having a helical noncircular configuration; and swaging at least one end portion of said flexible shaft to form said end portion to a helical noncircular shape, utilizing said set of dies.
 23. The process according to claim 21 or 22, wherein said dies are manufactured by electron discharge machining.
 24. The process according to claim 21 or 22, wherein said end portion is polygonal and the number of dies in said die set is equal to the number of sides of said end portion, each die forming one side of said end portion during said swaging step.
 25. The process according to claim 19, 20, 21, or 22, comprising the additional step of forcing said formed end portion into a cavity having a complementary square cross-section, wherein a part of said end portion engages walls of said cavity with an interference fit.
 26. A flexible shaft having at least one end portion formed to have a helical noncircular shape, and a fitting having a cavity with a cross-sectional shape different from the cross-sectional shape of at least an end part of said end portion, said end part being disposed within said cavity and having an interference fit therewith.
 27. The flexible shaft according to claim 26, wherein the cross-sectional shape of said end portion is polygonal.
 28. The flexible shaft according to claim 26 or 27, wherein said end portion has four sides and the cross-sectional shape of said end portion is square.
 29. The process according to claim 6 or 7, wherein said dies are manufactured by abrasive grinding.
 30. The process according to claim 21 or 22, wherein said dies are manufactured by abrasive grinding. 